Panel of 20 Celebrity Judges Includes Dick Dale, Steve Vai, Hank Williams Jr., Roger McGuinn, Jeff Baxter, Wayne Static, J.J. French, Steve (Billy Idol) Stevens, Earl (David Bowie) Slick, Rick Derringer and Many More
All Contestants Are Entered Into Mag Rack's "Guitar Xpress Sweepstakes" for Scores of Additional Prizes
New York, NY, April 26, 2004 – Guitar Face? It's a condition affecting millions of real and imaginary guitarist across America – as they grimace, squint, pucker and pout to express the agony and ecstasy involved in striking the perfect high-note or power chord. Now thanks to Mag Rack's "Guitar Xpress," practitioners and dedicated amateurs of this dramatic artform will finally be honored.
Mag Rack's Guitar Face Contest enables digital cable subscribers – both actual guitar players and non-players – to send in a photo of their best "guitar face" for judging by a panel that knows this brand of musical mugging best: legendary guitarists, record producers and rock photographers. The greatest amateur guitar face selected by Mag Rack's panel of celebrity judges will win a new Les Paul "Black Beauty" electric guitar and hard case from Epiphone, a $1,180 value at retail. Contestants are also entered into Guitar Xpress's sweepstakes for scores of additional prizes, including iPOD digital music players.
Beginning May 1, Mag Rack is inviting digital cable subscribers across systems to submit their best Guitar Face via Mag Rack's consumer website or the U.S. postal service. All entries must be received by October 31, 2004, soon after which the winners will be announced.
The contest judges represent a who's-who of music masters, including heavy metalist and former Frank Zappa sideman Steve Vai; surf music pioneer Dick Dale; country star Hank Williams Jr; Roger McGuinn of The Byrds; Steely Dan's Jeff Baxter; Billy Idol/Michael Jackson guitarist Steve Stevens; Bowie guitarist Earl Slick; Twisted Sister's J.J. French; avant guitarist of Captain Beefheart/Jeff Buckely fame Gary Lucas; prog-rock "Hocus Pocus" writer Jan Akkerman of Holland's Focus; 70s blues rocker Rick Derringer; Wayne Static of Static X; and members of up-and-coming bands The Rosenbergs and pinkeye d'gecko.
The New York scenester who discovered and managed punk legends like The Ramones and Iggy Pop, Danny Fields, will also be casting a vote, along with Bon Jovi producer Frankie LaRocka; and Don Fleming, producer of seminal works by rock and punk legends including Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Sonic Youth and Hole. One of LA's busiest producers, Russ Titleman, the many behind discs by guitar including Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Neil Young will also be on board, along with Henry Diltz, photographer of portraits and album covers by dozens of musical greats, including Crosby Stills and Nash, The Doors, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix and James Taylor. John Swenson, author of books about stars like the Who and Stevie Wonder and the liner notes for Frank Zappa's box set of guitar instrumentals, is also casting a ballot.
"Guitar face is almost as much a part of playing as the instrument itself," stated Beth Sanford, Vice President of Marketing for Mag Rack. "Think of any great player and there's usually a particular facial pose that goes with their style. We think our Guitar Face Contest is a fun way to inform guitar aficionados about the possibilities of our new service, one that let's them use their remote control to get expert instructional video from their television, totally free, whenever they want them."
Designed as a longterm promotion, the contest campaign includes local tie-in events, enabling Mag Rack and its local cable affiliates to interact with customers. Mag Rack's "Guitar Xpress" video magazine will partner with Warner Bros. Publications and Epiphone for promotion via websites, in-store signage and promotions and national print affinity magazines.
How to Enter:
Actual players and air guitarists can enter the Guitar Xpress' Guitar Face Contest by visiting the official Guitar Face website at www.magrack.com. The site contains an email address to which contestants can submit jpegs/gif files and fill-out a fun Guitar Face Survey. Contestants can also enter by sending a print photo no larger than 4" x 6", along with their name, address, age and phone number to Guitar Face Challenge, c/o Cataldi Public Relations, 143 West 29th Street, Suite 904, New York, NY 10001. All entries must be received by October 31, 2004. Contestants will automatically be entered in the Guitar Xpress Sweepstakes.
For the Guitar Xpress Sweepstakes, all viewers are invited to enter via the Mag Rack website at www.magrack.com.
About Guitar Xpress
Every month, Mag Rack's "Guitar Xpress" features hours of basic guitar lessons, specific tips, and step-by-step instructions for playing popular songs. Students have the ability to pause, rewind, fast forward and replay lessons to learn at their own pace and on their own time. Interactive, printable tablatures and chord diagrams for each song will be available only on the Web at www.magrack.com.
About Mag Rack
Mag Rack is the first service designed exclusively for on-demand television, launched by Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC in 2001. Mag Rack engages enthusiasts with a wide selection of "video magazines" about subjects that are personally relevant such as "Yoga Retreat," "Motorcycle Freedom" and "Inside Weddings." The service offers customers special interest programming not widely found on other channels with advanced DVD-like ability to fast-forward, rewind or pause the program. Mag Rack's value to cable operators reaches beyond excellent programming to also serve as an expert resource for marketing, branding and affiliate sales. For more information, visit www.magrack.com.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Rainbow Media owns and manages national networks: AMC, Fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; as well as the on-demand services: Mag Rack, Uncensored On Demand, World Picks On Demand and World Picks Networks. Rainbow Media' s other businesses include its regional programming services – MetroChannels, News 12 Networks and Rainbow Sports Networks – in addition to the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. Rainbow Media is also a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net.